The return
by manic moomoo
Summary: Set a year after princess mononoke. The eastern regions have reported a giant demon roaming the forests. But is it the return of something else? New update!
1. Ruri

In no way do I own any of the characters from Princess Mononoke and it is not my anime so no one sue me or anything …….. please? 

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In a small village in Eastern Japan near to where the Amishi people were banished;

Ruri was picking reeds down by the great river like her mother had told her to. The river was deep and wide and very important to her village because without it life could simply not exist. It was also a sacred place where supposedly if you went down there late at night you could see Kodama gathering round the trees on the other side of the bank. 

Ruri looked down at the water rippling gently around her feet as she sat serenely on the bank. After a while the sun seemed to fade away as night approached and a strange feeling washed all around her. She had wanted to stay out that night and hide in the bulrushes and then, when midnight came she would watch the Kodama playing on the bank. Her mother had agreed to let her do this because their village was a safe enough place and she didn't see what harm it would do her. At least it would prove to her that all the silly things Master Jiro had been teaching her about the lands in the west of giant animal gods, and a great forest spirit who is god of us all (but who was killed by the ignorance of the humans who lived in iron town) and those stupid "kodamas", were not real.

It was getting very late (near to midnight) and Ruri had seen nothing yet and she was getting tired, when she heard a strange rattling on the other side of the river. She peeped out from the reeds and there on the other side of the bank looking directly at her was a small white Kodama rattling its head from side to side. She stared in awe at it but then it seemed to vanish. Master Jiro had told her that less Kodama were around these days because the forest spirit was no longer living in the sacred forests of the west (but his presence was everywhere). A strong wind had picked up and leaves were blowing all around her. She no longer felt afraid so she stood up and stared across the bank and realised that there were Kodamas in all the trees clicking their skulls up to the sky. She felt a strong mystical presence approaching from the dense woodland across the river. Now there were millions of Kodamas surrounding the opening of the forest and the wind was so strong the trees were beginning to strain to keep a hold of their place in the ground but both Ruri and the Kodamas seemed to dismiss the wind. 

And then she saw it. Gently walking through the trees at a slow steady pace. It towered over everything and yet it looked so gentle. The feeling in the air was so magical and Ruri loved it. Now the thing she had been staring up at had reached the river but it didn't cross it just stared right back at Ruri boring deep into her soul with those mystical eyes. Ruri pushed through the reeds so she was directly in front of the water and she began to walk across the river towards the other bank. She wasn't wading through it at all she was just walking across it. Walking on the water. And each time she placed her foot down in a new space of water she didn't suddenly fall in or sink she just rippled the surface lightly. She didn't understand how a human could do what she was doing now. Walking on water was impossible. But yet that was exactly what she was doing. She stopped in the middle of the river and looked back up at its eyes. The wind had completely stopped and the Kodamas had stopped rattling. Then she slowly made her way across to the bank and it scooped her up in it's giant hand and paced back into the forest with her and the Kodamas followed them back into the forest. Ruri was now one with it. They were one. Ruri and. The nightwalker.


	2. Calling from the East

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A whole year had passed since Ashitaka had come to the west and the forest spirit's head had been taken. It had been returned but the forest spirit could not be saved. Nothing had been seen of the Forest spirit or nightwalker since. Moro and Lord Okkoto were gone and the boar tribe had gone south to find a new leader. Iron town was still in the process of being rebuilt. 

San sped down the hillside, the wind in her hair. Then she caught side of Yakul and Ashitaka. The wolf she was riding on came to a stop.

" Lady Eboshi has requested a meeting with us. Today." Ashitaka said solemnly. 

"Ashitaka, just because the forest and the humans are no longer at war it doesn't mean we are on close terms yet either. I don't want to talk to that wretched gunwoman." San replied, spitting the last words out. 

"Your mother left her mark on Eboshi, when she took her arm. Isn't that enough? It sounded serious San. We have to go speak with her." Ashitaka said, patiently.

San got back on the wolf and after a short silence looked up and nodded. She knew it had to be done.

So they sped off down the hill, the wolf and the elk darting in front of each other, on their way to Iron town. They arrived at the great gates, which Ashitaka had once opened by himself, even though it took ten men normally. Sometimes the curse had come in handy, ashitaka thought to himself as the gate opened up in front of them. Together they rode down the path, and many of the people stared at San, whom they had once been afraid of. 

They heard whispers saying things like, "The savage girl? She's come to kill Lady Eboshi! We must warn M'lady."

San dismissed the whispers and stares. She hated them all. After walking through the town they got to the large shack which belonged to Lady Eboshi. Outside was Gonza. 

"M'lady has been waiting for you. Go right on in" even though he allowed them in he seemed very hostile towards them both. 

" Welcome back Ashitaka. And greetings princess of ghosts, ghouls and demons. Princess

Mononoke." Lady Eboshi said in a friendly manner. San scowled at her and reached to her belt and touched her dagger, but Ashitaka put a firm hand on her arm.

"I didn't call you here to fight San. In the past I underestimated the wolf tribe." She said as she tentatively caressed the stump where her arm had once been.

"I wanted to talk to you both because yesterday a messenger from a small town in the Eastern regions of Japan reported that many of the villages there have been ravaged and the people there massacred by a…a…. Well by a kind of demon." She finished abruptly. Ashitaka looked stunned. His home was in the East. What if this demon had hit his village? His family, his friends, Kaya! They would all…. Be gone. A sudden burst of hatred filled him. He had never felt this kind of hatred except when he had been covered by the curse laid on him by Nago. He then shook it off realising he was just presuming things. 

"This new demon is different. Both of you know about demons. Nago, lord Okkoto, they are normal demons. But those who have seen this demon describe it as a giant deer like creature with a human like face. It is always smiling and it looks friendly. Sound familiar?"

Both Ashitaka and San looked stunned.

"The forest spirit! Can it have returned to us? But it can't be the forest spirit killing those people. He wouldn't do that. He saved Ashitaka!" San said growing angry but also upset.

"I realise this San, that is why I want you two to go and help the people in the east, because you have both dealt with demons and you know more about the Forest spirit than any normal man or woman would. The people of the East need your help. Will you go?" Lady Eboshi asked calmly.

Ashitaka nodded slowly. But San looked troubled.

"Why should I help humans at all. It was humans who killed the Forest Spirit. And my mother." She exclaimed loudly.

"Then don't do it for the humans. Go to see if the Forest spirit is really back, and if so to prove its innocence." Lady Eboshi said quietly and kindly.

Eventually San nodded and agreed to make the journey to the East with Ashitaka. They both left iron Town and that night San said goodbye to her wolf siblings and her and Ashitaka, riding on Yakul left the forest and departed to the East.


	3. A god

Princess Mononoke isn't my anime and I don't own any of the character etc.

Ashitaka and San had been travelling for 4 days now. So far it had been an easy journey. They had just followed the Great River eastwards and when they needed to stock up on provisions they had travelled to towns on their way. They camped out every night wherever they could. It had been different between San and Ashitaka since Iron town had been destroyed. Ashitaka had been helping re-build Iron town and they hadn't seen each other as much. 

But it was OK. Other than the odd uncomfortable silence. Anyway they both knew that they would have to put any uncomfortable silences behind them if they were going to have a successful journey.

It was a cold night, but there was no wind. They were only 3 miles away from the Reedvillage (the place the messenger had come from), but it was getting late and Ashitaka, San and Yakul needed sleep. So they set up camp in a nice patch on the riverbank, with lots of bulrushes and vegetation.

A fire was blazing and a shelter had been erected from branches and some rope. San and Ashitaka huddled together trying to get as warm as they could. 

"Ashitaka…..What if the forest spirit is back? Wouldn't that be amazing! But it's a little strange if it is, because why would it need to come back? I get the feeling things didn't turn out right when those stupid people took its head. I think something was thrown out of balance. I mean it was a God. **_The_** God! How could that idiot gunwoman do something so….. "San gasped searching for the right words.

Ashitaka slowly turned around and stared into her eyes. He'd forgotten how brightly they burned.

"Listen, San I think a war is approaching. I don't mean a war between humans. Or even between the humans and the animal Gods. Something darker is on this Earth as we speak. It is coming. That's why I believe the forest spirit is back." He replied calmly. 

San looked back into the fire and thought to her self – I sure as hell hope he's not right. 

It was midnight and San had woken up, disturbed by a noise. She slowly crawled out of the shelter and crouched behind some vegetation. She could see Yakul sleeping peacefully outside the shelter. 

And then she saw her. A girl was walking through the forest, on the other side of the river. She was barefoot and wearing a long black robe. She was about 14, San estimated and she was… singing? She was singing a beautiful song but it was wordless. Just sounds strung together to create a mystical song. San shifted her weight onto her knees but as she did so a twig snapped like a rifle shot. The girl spun round and San saw her face and she just gasped. The girl's eyes were just swirling light blue voids. She had no pupils or anything just large blue holes that danced and rippled like water. She smiled right at San and began to walk towards the river. She reached the water's edge and placed a foot on the surface of the water. She began to walk across the water towards San. She could not of been human.

"Why do you watch me wolf-girl. You are Moro's child are you not? We have met before. Your Mother loved you very much and still does. She saved you from the demon Okkoto. The humans led him astray. I took their lives away because they were in great pain caused by the humans, but Ashitaka; I spared him did I not? He is human. Do not fear me child-of-the-forest. I am the forest's father." The girl said, but it wasn't a girl's voice that came from her lips but a voice made up of lots of other voices. Familiar voices. San shuddered when she realised she had heard Lord Okkoto's voice coming from the girl. Then she realised she had also heard Moro's voice and tears trickled down her face.

But she no longer felt afraid and she left her place behind the bushes and stood on the bank opposite this girl-like creature. The girl had nearly completely crossed the river to San, when suddenly there was a rattling noise coming from the trees. San looked up to see millions of Kodama perched in the trees. They all rattled their heads ceremoniously. San had never seen so many gathered together since the Forest Spirit was killed. The girl had reached the bank and was now only 4 ft away from San when suddenly her eyes turned back into the eyes of a normal 14 year old girl and she collapsed on the ground. And there in amongst the trees and Kodamas was the Nightwalker looking at San. 

She blacked out.


	4. A Demon

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Chapter 4 The demon

When San woke up she was inside the shelter, wrapped in one of her animal skins. She propped herself up and saw Ashitaka standing by the entrance of the shelter. 

"Oh, you're awake. Last night I think you must of walked in your sleep because early this morning I found you out of the shelter lying on the river bank. You looked so pale so I carried you back to the shelter. San, are you all right?" Ashitaka said while untying the elk from where it had been kept.

"Ashitaka, I saw the nightwalker. It was in the forest last night. And there were Kodama and a little girl and she sang and she spoke to me and…." San blurted out. She stopped and thought carefully. 

"I do think there is something near to us that is worse than any normal demon. I think the girl was trying to warn me but the nightwalker came and carried her back into the forest. Her eyes, Ashitaka, they were just blue holes of swirling water. But I think she and the nightwalker were connected somehow. It felt wonderful to see all the Kodama out with the nightwalker but I just wish I knew more." She slowly said.

Ashitaka nodded his head, quietly taking all she had said in. They packed up their belongings and mounted Yakul and rode into the forest.

After making a quick stop at the nearest town for provisions, as planned, the duo (and elk) continued on with their journey.

The sun had nearly set and San was drowsily leaning against Ashitaka's back. Suddenly she felt him tense up. 

"Something's coming. From behind us, and fast." He cried. Yakul turned to the forest behind them. San squinted in to the distance through the trees. Then they both heard it. Click.click. She turned to see hundreds of Kodama appearing in the branches above them.

"**A demon**?!" Ashitaka shouted as San turned her eyes back to the distance and saw the oozing mass shape of a demon charging towards them crushing anything in it's path. It was bigger than anything she had seen before. She couldn't see what animal the demon might have originally been but she could see hooves – they were grey with white skin above them. Just like Okkoto…. Ashitaka and her seemed to have frozen. The demon's eyes were glowing red but everything else was covered in the worm like ooze. Then San saw them out of the corner of her eye. The Kodama. They were falling from the trees. Dying…

"Ashitaka, we have to move! Lets go!" she screamed. He snapped out of his trance-like state and Yakul sharply turned and they darted down the hill at full speed dodging trees and falling Kodama. They could hear the demon close behind them. Then they heard it screech. It sounded like a boar. San thought of Okkoto again. They were nearly at the edge of the forest when Ashitaka realised the noise had stopped. The thing behind them had stopped chasing them. He slowed Yakul down and they turned around. 

The demon was about 20feet away. It had completely stopped. It let out another ear-piercing screech and the ooze shot up into the air. And they saw the demons true form. It had a wolf's body and the legs of a white boar and it had two wolf tails. Then it struck her. It was the body of Moro, her mother and the great boar God Okkoto's strong legs and hooves. But then San saw the creature's face. She let out a cry. It had the kind smiling face of the forest spirit himself but blood was seeping from its neck where a great cut was marked all around its neck. That's where they cut of its head… she thought to herself. All the ooze dropped back onto the creature and it squirmed and pulsated its way around the creature's body taking on the form of a spider. 

"Why has it stopped?" San whispered into Ashitaka's ear.

"It's scared of the little girl…," he said clearly and loudly.

San looked hard at the demon and saw the girl in the black robe, she had seen the night before, standing directly in front of it. She wasn't standing though. She was floating about two feet above the ground. She reached out her hand to touch the demon when San cried out.

"Don't touch it. It'll turn you into a demon as well!" she shouted.

The girl turned around and San heard Ashitaka gasp as he saw her eyes.

"Do not worry San. I know what I'm doing" the voice of her mother, Moro, erupted from the girl's mouth.

The girl turned back to face the demon and force her hand through the decaying goo, which seemed to be melting away at her touch. Her hand was on the demon's mouth, which was the smiling mouth of the forest spirit. The ooze fell off the demon and it collapsed to the floor.

"She's trying to rid the creature of its hate like the forest spirit did to Okkoto…… and your Mother." Ashitaka said suddenly.

The demon started to struggle against the girl's hand as if it were fighting an inner battle whether to resist or give in to the girl's healing power. Suddenly it opened its still smiling mouth and sank it's wolf like fangs into her hand. The forest spirit never had fangs like that…thought San. The girl collapsed to the floor. The demon gave one last shriek and crawled back into the depths of the forest.

Ashitaka and San quickly dismounted Yakul and they rushed over to the little girl who was lying on the ground. Her eyes were normal again. Like any other fourteen-year-olds. Her hand was a bloody mess. Ashitaka quickly ripped a piece of his shirt and tied it around her hand.

Neither San nor Ashitaka had realised that while their encounter had happened with the demon and this mysterious little girl, the sun had completely set and night had flooded the forest.

"It's coming again." San said, her eyes misted over.

"You mean the demon?" said Ashitaka 

"No. Look." San said gazing to her right.

The Nightwalker was gliding through the foliage towards them. It stopped and gazed down at the two people next to it's child. It's Ruri. It saw all the dead Kodama covering the forest floor like a fresh layer of morning snow. It scooped up the child and headed back to where it came from.

San clung to Ashitaka and a tear trickled down her cheek.

"What was that thing in the forest and who is that girl?" she whispered.

Then they heard the soft but steady rattle of a single Kodama.


	5. A tragedy

Having stopped off at a secluded village, set deep in a valley and having regained supplies, Ashitaka and San made their way further east. For Ashitaka had a purpose. He was going to his village to warn them of this new deadly demon that seemed unstoppable. He had neglected to tell San this for he wanted to do it secretly. They would stop in the great forest surrounding the village near to the watchtower, which he presumed the town had re-built and in the night he would go and warn the elders. He hoped he might see Kaya as well just to see how she was. Then he would simply sneak back to the camp and they would continue their travels in the eastern regions, attempting to seek out more information about the demon, the nightwalker and that mysterious little girl.

The sun was setting behind them as Yakul trotted through the great forest. "This place is so beautiful, It feels like home" said San as she stared up at the great trees towering above them, orange light cascading through the canopy and creating strange shadows on the forest floor. Great vines curled around the trunks of many trees like great pythons and the distinct sound of running water could be heard. Good, thought Ashitaka to himself, I can hear the waterfall, we're close enough.

"Let's stop here. Yakul is tired and I wouldn't want to spoil your fun. You obviously like it here!" he said looking at San who was still looking around in awe.

It was a calm night. The sound of chirruping crickets echoed off the trees, like a symphony in a great opera house. Ashitaka, who had been sitting outside the makeshift shelter, slowly got up and quietly began walking towards the edge of the forest. He could see the watch tower through the trees and a chill snaked up his spine like a spark of electricity, for he could sense something wasn't right. The air was heavy and thick and he felt it smothering him. He gasped for breath. He couldn't hear the crickets anymore. Then he heard it. Click. Click. Click. He broke into a run. Kodama began to appear around him rattling their heads merrily. Ashitaka sprinted, leapt over the wall and clambered up the tower as fast as he could. It was empty - that was strange but Ashitaka fixed his eyes to the forest, gripping the wood tightly. A sense of déjà vu hit him. The last time he had been at the top of the watch tower, the Demon, that had taken the boar god Nago had burst out of the forest towards the village. And now he could feel it was close, charging through the forest leaving death and destruction in its path. He looked into the forest - now glowing a bright white, covered with Kodama. "They've come because they think it's the forest spirit" he whispered to himself, as the realisation hit him. "Leave this forest. It's not the Forest spirit! Can't you see?" he shouted, desperately towards the trees. The Kodama just rattled their heads more and the air grew thicker by the minute, eventually becoming too much as a darkness clouded in Ashitaka's eyes and he felt a sharp pain as his head hit the watchtower floor.

The screaming was shrill and filled with terror and Ashitaka bolted up. How long had he been out cold? It was still dark and as he slowly got to his feet he swayed a little and fell onto the side of the tower and then he saw the edge of the forest. The wall had been smashed through - bricks were lying everywhere and the ground had been burnt around the area. Thick globules of slime covered the ground and dead Kodama littered the forest floor. Then he heard more screams. And then a rifle shot pierced the air. Ashitaka turned to see the village. His village. "The demon" he shouted. He clambered down the tower and when he was nearly at the bottom he jumped onto the grass landing heavily, sprinting through the grassy fields down to the village, tripping over his feet at one point but Ashitaka didn't care and anger welled up inside him. "Ashitaka!" he heard San cry out. Then he heard the sound of Yakul's hooves drawing closer. Then a sharp force pulled him backwards and he fell to the ground.

" You must stop, Boy! You cannot save your people now. It is done with. How will it benefit anything if you go and get yourself killed. The world needs you Ashitaka, we have foreseen you playing a great role in the forth coming apocalypse whether it be for better or worse." Boomed the gruff voice of Lord Okkoto. Ashitaka struggled desperately to get up, but no amount of effort could break the spell he seemed to be under. The girl in the black robes walked past him as San jumped off Yakul and stopped by Ashitaka. The girl stopped and stood watching the destruction of the village. "Can't you do something? That thing," spat Ashitaka, "It's afraid of you. Please help them!" he shouted, his voice breaking with emotion. "The girl turned her head. Those hypnotic swirling eyes fixed on Ashitaka and another voice, a smoother, more gentle, male voice came from the girl's mouth and San fell to her knees, "Lord Hayano" she whispered in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Ashitaka, but if we went and faced the creature then it may defeat us for it weakened our powers when it bit into our arm. Your people will die for a noble cause and they will be cleansed off that demon's hatred before they ascend to the next life. Now we must wait for the demon to leave. Do not fear, for it will not come this way - it knows we are here and it is not so stupid as to try and challenge us even if our powers are weaker." The voice from the girl said.

"What is happening? Why do refer to yourself as we?I don't understand why the …." San was asking when the voice interrupted but this time it was the voice of Moro, the great wolf goddess, "Hush San, we will explain another time. But first we have a matter of more importance. You must stay here, do you hear me my daughter, stay here." And with that the girl began to walk down the hill towards the village of the last generation of Amishi people, now all dead except one exiled prince who now sat on the slope of the hill, holding his head in his hands as San watched the mysterious girl. Then she heard Ashitaka let out a small sob she hugged him tightly, holding him close to her trying to comfort him.

They remained like that for an hour, frozen with cold, and filled with many emotions. Yakul was contentedly nibbling at the grass nearby. " This night seems like it'll never end. But it's still dark. What do you think the girl is doing down there?" shivered San through chattering teeth. Ashitaka remained silent and continued looking down the hill towards the village. Then suddenly he twisted around and looked back into the forest. "What? What's wrong?" said San, sounding alarmed.

" Can't you feel it?" whispered Ashitaka, still staring towards the trees. San looked at him, then looked back towards the village. Ashitaka stood up and began to run towards the forest's edge, when he saw it, shining in the moonlight. The great Nightwalker was approaching.

" Ashitaka look! That girl look at her!" shouted San and Ashitaka looked back towards the village and the girl was floating high in the air and she was radiating a strange blue light. Little round blue lights rose from the ground and kept adding to the light surrounding her. The lights were coming from the dead people on the ground. "The girl. She's taking their souls." Said San, watching the amazing, beautiful sight. As they watched the spectacle the nightwalker stepped right over them and was walking down the hill. The girl was floating higher and higher and now the light was becoming so strong it was unbearable and suddenly it exploded and blue rays washed over the fields and an amazingly powerful force swept over fields like a strong wind. Then everything went dark and deadly silent and the girl, who was now at least 50 ft in the air, snapped out of the trance and was falling. The nightwalker stretched out its long arms and she landed softly. It looked back towards San and Ashitaka, then slowly carried Ruri off towards the forest. So many questions needed to be answered. And Ashitaka and San were determined to be the ones to find those answers.


End file.
